Train stop and signal system.



H. G. SEDGWICK, DECD.

L. BARTLETT, ADMINISTRATOR.

TRAIN STOP AND SIGNAL SYSTEM.

APPLICATION FILED JAN-31.1913- Patented July 10, 1917.

N-Tlll [FA H. G. SEDGWICK, DECD.

L. BARTLETT, ADMINTSIRATOR. TBA-IN STOP AND SIGNAL SYSTEM.

ABPLIQATION FILED mu. 3|, I913- Patented July 10, 1917.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

HIBAM G. SEDG'WICK, MILL VALLEY, CALIFORNIA; LOUIS BARTLETT, ADMINIS- TBA'IOR OF HIRAM G. SEDGWICK, DECEASED, ASSIGNOR TO THE NATIONAL SAFETY APPLIANCE COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF CALIFORNIA TRAIN STOP" AND SIGNAL SYSTEM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 1W, IAIN.

Application filed January a1, 1913. Serial No. mace.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I HIRAM G. SEDGWICK, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Mill Valley, county of Marin, State of California, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Train Stop and Slgnal Systems, of which the following s a full and clear specification, reference belng had .to the accompan ing drawings, in WhlCh- Figure 1 is a i'agram of a sufliciently extensive ortion of a road bed wiring to illustrate e application of my invention thereto;

Fig. 1 a view showing, a modification of the invention;

Fig. 2 a similarview showing a further application or development of the invention' I Fig. 3 a diagram showing a still further application or development of the invention- Figs. 4, 5 and 6 are detail views showing the tell-tale or safety circuit wires arranged in protective relation toother wires of the local circuits.

This invention has relation to that class of signaling and stopping systems in which the rails are bonded an adapted to form parts of a normally closed block circuit,

which circuit is adapted to be weakened or opened by the entrance into the bloclr of a railway vehicle, means being provided whereby when the track circuit is thus weakened or opened the railway signals Wlll be 85 set to protect the block against the entrance of other railway vehicles'into that block. In connection with this usual closed-circuit arrangement there is employed in some sys terms a supplemental means whereby the op- 40 eration of this main track circuit is relayed to supplemental train stopping or signalmg devices on the road bed. An example of such supplemental system is shown in my co-pending application serially numbered 43 798,251, filed October 30, 1913. In connection with this system I have illustrated my present invention although it Wlll be understood that this invention is applicable to other systems in which there is grafted on to the main track circuit one or more supplemental circuits which are adapted to operate train controlling devices on the road bed which are supplemental to any main signals, such as semaphores, which are adapted to be operated by the main or track clrcuit.

My present im rovements have to do with the circuits of t e su pleme'ntal train controlling devices, such or instance as the cirbatteries become impaired by exhaustion or otherwise, or should any of the wires or other parts become impaired to an extent to render them inoperative, the main or track circuit will be opened so that all the signaling or other train controlling devices which are connected directly or indirectly to the main or track circuit will be set in the same manner as they are set by the entrance of a train into the block which they are arranged to protect, whereby-as each train approaches a block it will receive the danger slgnals or be halted by the stopping means in case the block it is' ap roaching has any of its cir- 5'0 cuits or batteries out of order, so that in case the batteries or local wiring are inoperative in any block that block will be automatically preempted just as it is when a train enters upon 1t. In this way I get a very valuable 35 result, namely, that every train that passes over the road bed serves to test out the signaling and stopping means, thereby very greatly increasing the safety of the system, since throughout the railway system every locomotive in use is testing out each block preparatory to entering the same, so that it will be practically impossible for any block to remain out of order for any appreciable length of time without the derangement being brought to the attention of a train crew.

This object is accomplished in a very simple way, as more fully hereinafter set forth. As above stated I have illustrated my present invention in connection with the road bed system of wiring I have covered by my aforesaid co-pending application. I have illustrated but a fragment of the system as that will be amply suflicient for illustrating the nature of the present invention.

In the drawing annexed a designates the usual track battery, b the usual track magnet and c the conductors employed for staggering around the insulated rail sections (1 and 0 so that the track circuit (comprising the battery a, magnet b, the rails of the block and the conductors 0) will be normally closed until a train enters the block whereupon .the ma et 6 will be short circuitbd and will be t us deenergized and caused to set into 0 oration the usual si nal devices on the roa bed together with W atever supplemental signaling and stopping means that ma be connected to the system.

ne of these supplemental train control devices is shown at f, in the shape of an electroma et mounted on the road bed adjacent to t e insulated rails 03. This magnet is included in a circuit 9 which contains a local battery it and a resistance 71, this circuit being normally closed and the resistance z permitting but a slight art of the current of the battery to pass t rough-the magnet wiring. The current that normally passes through the magnet f is not suflicient to energize it to a degree rendering it open ative but when the resistance i is cut out the full force of the battery will be allowed to go through the magnet f and will thus energize it sufliciently to operate its companion armature on the locomotive as the locomotive passes over the magnet, said armature being connected up to devices which will eithercause a signal or a train stop-ping device to be actuated.

Connecting the circuit 9 at one side of the resistance to one of the rails d is a conductor j, and connecting the circuit at the other side of the resistance to the other rail d is a conductor is. In this latter conductor is inserted an armature Z which is held open by means of a relay m, whose circuit at is kept normally closed in any suitable manner, referably as shown in my aforesaid copen ing application, so that the relay m normally attracts armature Z and keeps partial circuit In open. Should a train enter the block ahead or should anything else be done to weaken or break circuit a, the relay m will be denergized and the armature Z will be released and permitted to close circuit is.

Should a train then attempt to pass magnet f, the wheels and. axles of the train would complete a circuit through conductors j, k and rails d and thus cut out the resistance '11 and allow the full battery charge to go into the magnet 7, thereby energizing the magnet sufiiciently to render it operative. The train that is passing will thus receive a signal or' be stopped before it enters the block ahead. It will be obvious from the foregoing t it is of the most vital importance that the battery It shall be in prime condition at all times and it is the main object of my present improvement to give warning of. the exhaustion or impairment of the battery. For this pu ose I tap the circuit 9 at either side of the ttery witha circuit o and place there in a resistance 22 and a magnet 51, this suppie-mental circuit 0 being at all times closed. The resistance p allows but a modicum of the current of the battery to pass through the magnet 9. This magnet Q will be su ciently energized by this current to attract anarmature 1- Which is placed in a loop 8' of one of the stagger conductors 0' or is connected to one branch of the track circuit in any other manner, so that so long as the battery it is in good condition the ma will be energized and this branch of the track circuit will be ke t closed. But upon impairment or exhaustlon of the battery to a predetermined degree, the magnet Q will be denergized sufliciently to release armature 1' and thus break the track circuit. This breaking of the track circuit will bring etg.

train control devices in the block behind as well as in the block ahead. In this way the impairment of the battery. results in pre emptingthe adjacent block just as it is preempted when a train enters therein, so that it will be impossible for a train to pass through a block in which the local battery is impaired or exhausted.

In the conductor j is inserted a circuit breaker consisting of an armature lever t which is normally held closed by a suitable spring it. When a train passes oif the rails 03 and onto the insulatedrails a, this armature is attracted by a magnet '0, thus opening circuit 7' and restoring the parts connected to the circuit 9 to normal, thus saving the battery It by throwing into the circuit g the resistance 2'. This magnet '0 may be energized in any suitable manner; I have shown means for energizing it in the same manner as in my aforesaid co-pending application. It Will be observed that it is important that a warning be given in case of the derangement ofthis circuit breaker since if the partial circuit 7' be open the system will be inoperative. To obtain immediate warning of the impairment of the circuit closer at, I cut the protective circuit'o and connect its ends, one to the armature t and the other to the circuit j beyond the armature, as shown in Fig. 2, so that the current in said circuit 0 will normally flow through the armature t and a part of the circuit y. In this way it will be obvious that should the partial circuit jbe opened betweenthe armature and its contact the cir-' cuit Q will be likewise broken and will thus deenergize magnet g and cause the opening of the track circuit.

A modification of the system illustrated v circuit w. A suitab e resistance may be employed for this purpose.

In Figs. 3, 4:, 5 and 6 I illustrate a way I of still further utilizin the closed circuit 0. In this diagram (1 esignates a box in which is inclosed a battery it, resistance 2', relay m, together with the resistance and magnet in circuit 0. In the box illustrated at b is inclosed the magnet v and its connected devices. The conductors 0 are arranged in protective relation to the conductors of the circuits 9, j and k, so that should one of these conductors g, y' and is be broken, the circuit 0 will also be ruptured and will thus deenergize the track magnet b, as above described. To secure this result the conductors 0 may be wrapped around the protected conductors g or they may be arranged on opposite sides'of the same, as shown in Fig. 6 in which latter arrangement it is desirable that the conductors be embodied in a single cable, as shown. But it will be obvious that it is within the spirit of this part of my invention to greatly vary the manner of arranging the conductors 0 so long as they are arranged in a manner to mechanically protect the other conductors.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Let ters Patent, is-

1. In arailway block system, a normally closed track circuit, a traincontrol device on the road bed, a circuit including said device and a local battery, and means whereby the exhaustion or impairment of said battery opens the track circuit, ,said means consisting of a supplemental constantly closed circuit connected to said battery, a magnet in said circuit, and a circuit closer controlled by said magnet and located in the track circuit, whereby when said magnet is deenergized said track circuit will be opened.

2. A railway block signal system, including a normally closed track circuit, a train control device on the road bed, a closed local circuit including said train control device and a resistance and a local battery, means whereby the passing train shunts out the resistance and lets the full force of the battery into the train control device when the block ahead is occupied, said means embodying a conductor connected to one of the rails, said conductor embodying a normally closed circuit closer, and supplemental devices whereby the exhaustion of the battery or the opening of said circuit closer will open the track circuit.

3. A railway block signal system, including a normally closed track circuit, a train control device on the road bed, a closed local circuit including said train control device, and a resistance and a local battery, means whereby the passing train shunts out the resistance and lets the full force of the battery into the train control device when the block ahead is occupied, said means embodying a conductor connected to one of the rails, said conductor embodying a normally closed circuit closer, and devices whereby the exhaustion of the battery orthe opening of said circuit closer will open the track circuit, said devices consisting of a normally closed circuit connected to said battery and including said circuit closer and a resistance and a magnet.

I. In -a railway block signaling or stopping system, the combination of a normally closed track circuit, a train control device on the road bed and means rendering said device operative independently of said track circuit, said means consisting of a local circuit and a local battery and suitable cooperating circuits, and means for opening the track circuit on the impairment of the local battery, said means embodying a supplemental closed circuit connected to said battery, the wires of this circuit being arranged in protective relation to the wires of the aforesaid circuits.

5. In a railway signaling or stopping system, the combination of a train control device on the road bed, a, local battery and circuit for rendering the same operative, and means for indicating the exhaustion or impairment of said battery, said means embodying a normally closed supplemental circuit connected to said battery, the wires of this circuit being arranged in rotective relation to the wires of the aforesald circuit. In testimony whereof I hereunto afiix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

I-IIRAM G.'SEDGWICK.

Witnesses:

ANNA TOWNSEND, Mmmnn P. MARTIN. 

